New Delhi, Oct. 8 -- India's domestic apparel market is projected to grow 9% annually to $146.3 billion by 2029 from $95.7 billion in 2025, driven by rural and smaller-town consumption, casualization, and faster growth in womenswear and kidswear, according to a study by the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) and market research and intelligence firm 1Lattice.

The study projects the world's fourth-largest apparel market to grow at 9% during 2025-29, significantly faster than the US (2%), China (1%), European Union-27 (2%) and the UK (3%).

The textile and apparel sector is the second-largest employer in the country after agriculture. The sector provides direct employment to around 45 million people and indirect livelihoods...